A BIT ABOUT CAT

From an early age, photography, art, animals and curiosity have been a big part of my life. I grew up taking on jobs working with animals, designing print ads and products, becoming the director of advertising for a large real estate company, then a systems integration specialist helping newspapers automate their advertising, as well as detailing cars and driving tractor trailers for a living, all while pursuing my passion to capture life in my lens with my heart. My unique, diverse background shows in my work as does my passion for the great outdoors and the wildlife I find there.

Self taught in most everything I do, My artistic talent behind the lens and in the studio has evolved from countless hours over decades of trial and error. Challenging myself to continue learning, pushing the boundaries with every click of the shutter on my cameras, stroke of the keyboard in my digital darkroom and paint on my brush in my studio to keep my creativity thriving. Following my mind and heart into the “what if’s” and “how can I make that happen”, from what angle would be most impactful for the image to choosing camera settings to create the affect I am looking for and beyond.  

 My equipment is modest but I know how to use it. Always shooting in manual mode gives me the opportunity to stretch the boundaries of my cameras as I put my creative touches into my images, even before processing. For me, it isn’t the camera taking the image, it is my eye, mind and heart pushing the button. Tripods aren’t an option as they too cumbersome and restrictive to suit my style. My philosophy is animals are always moving, so I need to be too.

A gypsy at heart, I wander with my cameras, letting my curiosity take me down the path less traveled, guiding me to unimaginable beauty and wonder. I found my place in life in the mountains of Wyoming, spending my time capturing ordinary moments in extraordinary ways, my work is a powerful reminder of the wild ones’ struggles and triumphs in the world they live in, capturing a glimpse of their personalities, strengths, weaknesses and what it takes to simply be in each moment of every day spent on this earth as the animals do. I strive to capture their “will to survive” even in the harshest environments. Using my vast experiences behind the lens, creating images that touch your heart and take you into the world of nature at its finest. 

Cat’s award winning work is available online, can be found in books, magazines, regional galleries, guilds, stores, shows and at her studio in NW Wyoming.